Every year, since 1984, except for 1986 and 2011, Toledo has hosted an LPGA tournament. Formerly called the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic, then the LPGA Marathon Classic, the Dana Corporation assumed sponsorship rights in 2022. The Dana Open is one of the longest running events on the LPGA’s schedule and has generated over $13.7 million for local children’s charities. Some of golf’s biggest names have won on the Highland Meadows course.
This year’s event was forced to navigate thunderstorms that blew through the area on the weekend, but was able to finish all four rounds.
Linn Grant, from Sweden, became the second player to win on both the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the LPGA in 2023. She won the Jabra Ladies Open in May and now is a first-time winner on the LPGA Tour.
This is Grant’s second year on the LPGA Tour and has not missed a cut in six starts this season. This was her first visit to Toledo.
Two American women, Allisen Corpuz and Lindy Duncan finished second and third respectively.
Corpuz, who won the U.S. Women’s Open the week prior in Los Angeles, fired a final round 65 to collect the second-place check. Duncan has bounced back and forth between the EPSON and LPGA Tours since turning professional in 2013. This was her second best showing as a professional as she finished runner-up in the 2018 Volunteers of America Championship.
The biggest story at the Dana Open had to be the coming out party for an amateur, 15-year-old, New Albany High School sophomore, Mia Hammond. Hammond fired rounds of 68-68-70-72 to finish tied for 26th. She was in contention after the second and third rounds, but the pressure and weather contributed to her slide down the leaderboard on Sunday.
After her final round, she was inundated with fans.
“I’ve given a few autographs here and there, but to have that many people come up to me and ask for my signature, ask for a picture … and most of it is little kids, so it’s good to know that it’s inspiring some younger people who want to play the game,” Hammond said. “It was actually funny today (because) we had to be escorted away due to how many wanted autographs at the end.”
Hammond had to Monday qualify at Stone Oak Country Club and Highland Meadows just to get into the tournament and was the only amateur in the field.
The Dana Open was once again a huge success, a worthy victor was crowned, plus Toledo golf fans got to see an Ohio girl, Mia Hammond become someone to watch in future years.
